The 14 best recipes to bake in January
Start the year off with a bang.
Date
January 2, 2026
Whether your New Year’s resolutions include spending more time baking or you’re simply looking for a fresh new recipe to make this winter, we’ve selected 14 of our favorite recipes to bake right now. From cheesy gratins for cozy nights to zippy passion fruit bars to cure the winter blues, here’s everything we’re excited to bake this month.
1) Gnocchi alla Romana
January is a time to cozy up with warm, comforting foods, like this creamy Gnocchi alla Romana. It’s made from semolina flour that’s cooked to a polenta-like consistency, chilled, and then cut into rounds. The slices are layered in a 9" x 13" pan and covered with cheese, gratin-style. The whole thing bakes until it’s melty and golden brown.
Get the recipe: Gnocchi alla Romana (Semolina Gnocchi Gratin)
To make this recipe, you’ll need: Semolina Flour
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Semolina Pasta, Sweet Potato Gnocchi
2) Flaky Puff Crust Pizza
There are thin pizzas and thick pizzas, but this sheet-pan pizza — with its shatteringly flaky, pastry-like crust — is in a category all its own. That’s exactly why we crowned it our 2026 Recipe of the Year. It calls for an easier, less precise version of lamination to create a crust that’s rich yet light and crispy. The result? A truly unique slice of pizza that you can’t get at your local shop.
Get the recipe: Flaky Puff Crust Pizza
To make this recipe, you’ll need: ‘00’ Pizza Flour
If you like this recipe, you may also like: South Shore Bar Pizza, Mini Pizzas
3) Passion Fruit Bars
If you like lemon bars, you’ll love this tropical take made with zingy passion fruit — especially now, in the dead of winter. The bars are made with an easy press-in crust, plus two layers packed with passion fruit flavor: a simple curd layered beneath a posset-like custard.
Get the recipe: Passion Fruit Bars
To make this recipe, you’ll need: 8” Square Pan
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Creamy Key Lime Bars, Lemon Squares
4) Za'atar Manakeesh
These charred flatbreads are a mainstay of Lebanese breakfasts, and for good reason. They’re generously showered in za’atar and, for even more decadence, garlicky cheese. Pair with labneh and mint and your breakfast routine will be changed for the better.
Get the recipe: Za’atar Manakeesh
To make this recipe, you’ll need: Brod & Taylor Bread Steel
If you like this recipe, you make also like: Cheese and Mint Ka’ak, Grilled Flatbread
5) No-Knead Sourdough Bread
If you’re looking to get into sourdough this year, this approachable recipe is a great starting point. With just five ingredients, you’ll be able to create a crusty, chewy loaf that could be mistaken for something from your local bakery.
Get the recipe: No-Knead Sourdough Bread
To make this recipe, you’ll need: Sourdough Starter
If you like this recipe, you may also like: No-Knead Crusty White Bread, No-Knead Everything Bread
6) Super Fudgy Sourdough Brownies
You don’t even need flour for these gooey brownies — they’re made entirely with sourdough discard, which shrinks the ingredient list and provides a dense, ultra-fudgy texture. Plus, these come together in a single saucepan to minimize cleanup and maximize ease.
Get the recipe: Super Fudgy Sourdough Brownies
To make this recipe, you’ll need: Triple Cocoa Blend
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies, Sourdough Chocolate Cake
7) Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Bars
Baking oatmeal raisin cookies isn’t hard, but this cookie bar version is even easier. You only need one mixing bowl and no dough scooping is required — just slice into these soft, chewy bars like brownies. Plus, you can easily make them gluten-free with our Measure for Measure Flour.
Get the recipe: Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Bars
To make this recipe, you’ll need: Rolled Oats
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Oatmeal-Date Smash Cookies, Miso Oatmeal Scotchies
8) Cream Tea Scones
These simple scones are exactly what a mid-afternoon snack calls for. They’re golden and ultra-tender — just waiting to be slathered with butter, topped with jam, and paired with a steaming cup of tea.
Get the recipe: Cream Tea Scones
To make this recipe, you’ll need: Baker’s Fruit Blend
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Ginger Scones, Mini Scones
9) Whole Grain Banana Bread
This is truly a failproof banana bread. It can take on virtually any adaptation, from reducing the sugar to replacing the oil with yogurt or making it 100% whole grain. Try them all to find your perfect version.
Get the recipe: Whole Grain Banana Bread
To make this recipe, you’ll need: Golden Wheat Flour
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Rye Banana Bread, Sneaky Shortcut Banana Bread
10) Multigrain Protein Bread
This all-purpose sandwich bread has a whopping 11 grams of protein per slice. It’s full of wholesome ingredients like egg whites, cottage cheese, and rolled oats and flecked with crunchy seeds for toasty depth. Plus, our recipe includes instructions to make this with (or without) a bread machine.
Get the recipe: Multigrain Protein Bread
To make this recipe, you’ll need: Rolled Oats
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Chili Crisp Cottage Cheese Flatbreads, Super Protein Pancakes
11) Oatmeal Cake
While its name may sound humble, this simple dessert has a lot to offer. Oatmeal is mixed into the batter to create a surprisingly tender, fluffy base, then the cake is topped with a crunchy, gooey combination of pecans, coconut, and oats that are broiled.
Get the recipe: Oatmeal Cake
To make this recipe, you’ll need: Rolled Oats
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Whipped Cream Dream Cake, Carmelitas
12) Simple Stovetop Vanilla Pudding
A bowl of luscious pudding is the definition of a simple pleasure. Plus, we’ve streamlined this recipe in a number of ways. There’s no fussing with tempering eggs, and the use of sweetened condensed milk instead of sugar (no grittiness!) gives it the silkiest texture. It’s worth breaking out your fancier vanilla for this recipe, too.
Get the recipe: Simple Stovetop Vanilla Pudding
To make this recipe, you’ll need: Vanilla Bean Paste
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Easy Chocolate Pudding, Chocolate and Vanilla Pudding Cups
13) Coffee Cake Biscuits
This twist on two classic breakfast treats creates a delightful combination: a flaky biscuit meets buttery and sweet streusel topping.
Get the recipe: Coffee Cake Biscuits
To make this recipe, you’ll need: Cake Flour
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Cinnamon-Crisp Coffee Cake, Stuffed Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
14) Baked French Toast Sticks
These homemade French toast sticks give the store-bought version a major glow up. They get their crisp, golden brown edges just from baking them in the oven or air fryer — no skillet necessary. In just shy of 15 minutes, they’re ready to dunk in maple syrup.
Get the recipe: French Toast Sticks
To make this recipe, you’ll need: Vermont Maple Syrup
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Sheet-Pan French Toast, Overnight French Toast
Cover photo by Patrick Marinello; food styling by Yekaterina Boytsova,
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